Andy (pictured right) will be joined at the The Moores Orthopaedic Clinic by fellow surgical specialist Chris Jordan, and Managing Director Richard Hoile.
The clinic is situated just off the M3, thirty minutes from the M25.
It is equipped with a CT scanner, mobile digital radiography and two surgical theatres with a full complement of orthopaedic kit including for total hip replacement in cats and all sizes of dogs.
To ensure best patient outcomes the surgical suite has its own HEPA-filtered ventilation system, isolated from the rest of the clinic, which Andy says exceeds guidelines for human orthopaedic theatres and will reduce the risk of infection.
Andy said: “The Moores Orthopaedic Clinic fills a gap in the market to provide high-class specialist orthopaedic care at a reasonable price.
"We have two very experienced specialist surgeons and a clinic designed from the ground-up to reduce the risk of complications after surgery.
"We will be able to provide the very best orthopaedic care and the best possible outcomes after surgery.
"And without the high overheads many referral centres often face, we will be able to achieve this at a very competitive price.
"I can’t wait to start seeing cases in May.”
Non-urgent cases can be booked from April 2023 using the online referral form: https://mooresortho.com/contact/
In the lead up to opening in May, Andy is available for remote consultations, client visits, to consult/operate on select cases in your own clinic or to discuss cases via email andy@mooresortho.com
mooresortho.com
The main change to the guidance was from:
A veterinary surgeon who has an animal under their care should have a 24/7 facility to physically examine the animal or visit the premises in the case of production animals, farmed aquatic animals and game.
to
A veterinary surgeon who has an animal under their care must be able, on a 24/7 basis, to physically examine the animal or visit the premises in the case of production animals, equines, farmed aquatic animals and game.
Where a veterinary surgeon is not able to provide this service, they must make arrangements for another veterinary service provider to do so on their behalf, details of which must be provided to the client in writing in advance of providing veterinary services.
The new guidance elaborates on the details which must be given to clients:
Veterinary surgeons should provide clients with full details of this arrangement, including relevant telephone numbers, location details, when the service is available and the nature of service provided.
The amended guidelines maintain that the prescription of antimicrobials and controlled drugs requires a physical examination in all but exceptional circumstances, but clarify that for antimicrobials, this applies to all except production animals, farmed aquatic animals and game.
The guidance for limited service providers, such as vaccination and neutering clinics, has been amended with the requirement that if they engage the services of another provider to provide 24-hour emergency cover, this arrangement must be confirmed in writing with the client before veterinary services are offered.
Council voted unanimously for a review of the guidance to be conducted 12 months from the implementation date, with the caveat that the Standards Committee would continue to monitor any impacts on an ongoing basis.
The full details of the amendments can be found in the papers for the March 2023 RCVS Council meeting at: www.rcvs.org.uk/who-we-are/rcvs-council/council-meetings/
Linda Belton MRCVS, Chair of the RCVS Standards Committee, said: “I would like to thank all the organisations and individuals within the professions who helped provide the crucial content and context for the case study scenarios, as well as feedback to make sure they were realistic and applicable in practice.
"Thank you also to all those who have fed into the further improvements that have been made to the guidance and I would like to reassure those with concerns that the guidance is robust, we have considered how it will be enforced and we will continue to review the guidance.”
Eleanor Ferguson, RCVS Registrar, added: “Ahead of it coming into force, we will also be publishing resources about the guidance, including the case studies that we are currently finalising, and some FAQs.
"We hope these will help to further explain the context behind the guidance changes, and help to counter any misunderstanding about the impact of the guidance and what it will actually mean for practising professionals on a day-to-day basis.”
For further information about the guidance and the consultation process that led to its development visit: www.rcvs.org.uk/undercare
Under the protocol trial, the RCVS can launch private prosecutions against unqualified people practising veterinary surgery or using the title 'veterinary surgeon'.
The College says that where breaches of the Veterinary Surgeons Act cross over to other criminal offences, for example, fraud by false representation, they will be more properly dealt with by the relevant police force.
Local authority trading standards agencies will also deal with issues around, for example, misleading courses that purport to lead to registration with the RCVS but do not; concerns about dog grooming businesses and concerns about dog breeding establishments (other than where there is illegal practice of veterinary surgery by unqualified persons).
Eleanor Ferguson, RCVS Registrar and Director of Legal Services, said: “This protocol recognises that there are constraints on the time, resourcing, and budgets of both the police and public prosecutors which means that the pursuit of these breaches of the Veterinary Surgeons Act, both of which carry minor criminal penalties, is not necessarily a priority.
“While we are always willing to work with the police and other agencies to pursue such breaches, the protocol details how we can act independently where appropriate and ensure we are fulfilling our stated ambition to safeguard the interests of the public and animals, as well as the reputation of the professions, by ensuring that only those registered with us can carry out acts of veterinary surgery.
“We would like to manage expectations around this trial period as we will only be launching private prosecutions where they meet the criminal evidential standards of ‘beyond a reasonable doubt’ and it is judged to be in the public interest to do so.
"We will also be relying on members of the professions and the public to report breaches and provide sufficient evidence to us, as we have no statutory investigatory powers.”
The trial period will last for one year and the College has set aside £50,000 to pursue private prosecutions.
The trial will be overseen by the Disciplinary Committee/ Preliminary Investigation Committee Liaison Committee while decisions on whether to pursue private prosecutions will lie with the Registrar/ Director of Legal Services.
Suspected breaches of the Veterinary Surgeons Act can be reported to the RCVS Professional Conduct Department on breachvsa@rcvs.org.uk.
In short, the old discussion forums have been replaced with a new format where we now invite members to post ONLY questions for the community instead.
Your question can be about anything you like: clinical, practice management, or even something which has nothing to do with work.
Then anyone in the community, which includes fellow veterinary nurses and representatives from industry, can earn points for answering your question.
In due course, points will mean prizes and there'll be rewards for the most helpful community members and the most interesting questions, as voted for by you.
The new VetNurse Community which now exists entirely to help you get good quality, authoritative answers to your questions has a very strict requirement that all participants treat each other with courtesy, respect and good manners.
There will also be a requirement for contributors to share their level of experience in their profile, to give their answers some context.
VetNurse Editor Arlo Guthrie said: "I've struggled for a while about the role of discussion forums in the Facebook era.
"But this, I think, will be a really useful platform which offers something completely different.
"In short, a community exclusively for answering each others' questions; somewhere you can be absolutely certain of a friendly welcome and an authoritative answer.
"If other members of the community don't know the answer to your question, then I personally will go and see whether I can find someone else to help with it"
"Plus I want to make it a bit more fun to help each other, which I think a competitive element, with a leaderboard and rewards will bring"
"The other great thing about asking and answering questions on VetNurse.co.uk is that you will be contributing to a searchable body of knowledge and experience everyone in the profession can benefit from.
"In due course, we'll be upgrading VetNurse.co.uk with all sorts of extra features which will make it easier for you to follow questions, refer back to ones you've had answered, and more."
Meantime, come and try it out.
Post a question for the community today: https://www.vetnurse.co.uk/f
The company says it estimates that 75% of its staff have periods and many will find themselves caught short without a pad or tampon when they have an earlier or heavier period than expected.
This can be very embarrassing and stressful, so tampon/towel dispensing machines are being installed in the loos at every CVS veterinary practice and site in the UK.
Helen Finney, Group HR Director at CVS, said: “We want to provide dignity and peace of mind for all of the colleagues who work at CVS.
"We wouldn't expect colleagues to have to bring their own toilet paper to work.
"So those who experience periods shouldn't fear being caught short either.
"In a busy practice it can be difficult to ask a colleague if they have a tampon or towel, or to find time to go out to buy supplies.
“By providing free period products to colleagues while at work, we are seeking to help in one small but meaningful way.”
When one stops to think about this (albeit as the male editor of a veterinary website), it is something of a wonder that it has taken this long. Helen's quote about loo paper hits the nail on the head. Why do all work loos not have period products by default?
Helen was presented with the award at a black tie event in Manchester yesterday.
She said: “I love what I do – I love the organisation, and as of veterinary nurse of 27 years I remember before Pet Blood Banks were set up and all the difficulties we had then when animals needed transfusions. I’ve seen the difference these products make first-hand and I don’t know where we would be without them”
The other winners were:
Petplan’s Sales and Marketing Director, Bella von Mesterhazy said: “All of the night’s winners are so deserving of the accolade, thanks to their true commitment to their profession, and like all those who sent in nominations, Petplan is incredibly grateful for the outstanding services provided by not only our winners, but veterinary professionals around the country.”
At the hearing, the Disciplinary Committee considered whether she had accepted the findings of the Committee at the original inquiry hearing, the seriousness of those findings, whether she had demonstrated insight into her past conduct, and the protection of the public and the public interest.
In her restoration application, Dr Burrows included continuing professional development (CPD) certificates for the courses she had completed since her removal from the Register, letters/informal witness statements from the veterinary surgeons and nurses she had worked who had expressed a willingness to employ her again, together with character references and reflection statements.
She also made a detailed opening statement in support of her application, in which she said that the period since her name was removed from the Register was extremely difficult and also that she now unconditionally accepted all the Committee’s original findings in May 2021, some of which she had previously denied and had failed to acknowledge.
Dr Burrows went on to state that she only had herself to blame for her actions and that she now understood and accepted that the original sanction of removal from the register had needed to be severe given the serious breach of trust to the public, to the veterinary profession and the insurance industry that was a direct consequence of her dishonest actions.
Since removal from the Register, Dr Burrows had taken on the role of receptionist in a Vets4Pets practice in Cardiff, which required her to deal directly with the public and their insurance requests and entitlements.
She stated that as a result of her involvement over the past 18 months in processing insurance claims, she acknowledges the “delicate” relationship between veterinary surgeons, clients and insurers.
Additionally, working as a receptionist, had allowed her to recognise the need for contemporaneous and clear clinical notes.
She also highlighted her CPD, which was relevant to insurance, as well as the fact she’d undertaken a professional ethics course to assist her rehabilitation, reflection, and insight.
In support of Dr Burrows’ restoration to the Register, the Committee took into account three witness accounts from people who work at the Vets4Pets branch where Dr Burrows works as a receptionist.
All witnesses gave positive reflections on Dr Burrows’ character and assured the Committee that they would provide the correct level of support to allow her to return to work safely and that they would have all the necessary safeguarding measures in place to ensure that the public’s and the profession’s interest is always at the forefront.
Judith Way, chairing the Disciplinary Committee and speaking on its behalf, said: “The Committee was impressed by the fact that busy professionals chose to give up their time to provide witness statements and give evidence in support of Dr Burrows’ application.
"All witnesses were clearly supportive of Dr Burrows’ request for restoration to the Register.
“The Committee found Dr Burrows to show remorse and she does now accept the findings of dishonesty that were made against her in the original enquiry hearing and stated that her conduct was dishonest.
"In the Committee’s view, the evidence given by Dr Burrows on affirmation was very believable and she now accepts her dishonesty together with the gravity of her dishonesty.
“The Committee also formed the view that the steps she has taken to address her dishonesty serve to confirm that she is passionate about the prospect that she be allowed to return to practise.
"The Committee was impressed by Dr Burrows and the evidence given and is now satisfied that she will ensure the highest standards of probity and honesty in the future.
“Having taken all evidence into account, the Committee is satisfied that the future welfare of animals under Dr Burrows’ responsibility will be properly protected, and that her future dealings with insurers will be honest in all respects and that the interests of the public will be met.”
https://www.rcvs.org.uk/concerns/disciplinary-hearings
The toolkit is part of a major study, the ‘Old Age Pets (OAP) research project’, recently funded by BSAVA PetSavers at the University of Liverpool.
The ACT includes an owner checklist for home triage and a leaflet which explains the more common health problems affecting aged dogs.
There's a practice waiting room poster which includes a QR code to give clients access to a digital version of the leaflet.
The leaflet recommends working through the checklist at least every six months and keeping completed versions for comparison, to monitor dogs as they age.
PetSavers says that some clients may benefit from advice and guidance from RVNs or PCAs on how to complete the checklist for the first time.
BSAVA has also curated a collection of articles, podcasts, lectures and book chapters to support veterinary professionals in caring for senior dogs: http://www.bsavalibrary.com/petsaversact.
Professor Carri Westgarth from the University of Liverpool said: “We conducted this research project kindly funded by BSAVA PetSavers in order to help owners and veterinary professionals provide great care for our loved pets as they age.
“Our investigations uncovered common physical and behavioural signs in dogs that owners observe and for which support from the veterinary practice would be beneficial.
"Our simple evidence-based checklist is designed to engage owners and importantly stimulate efficient discussion with their veterinary team.”
Free digital copies of the leaflet and poster can be downloaded here: http://www.bsavalibrary.com/content/cilgrouppetsaversact, where veterinary professionals can also request free printed copies for their practices.
https://www.bsava.com/petsavers/our-impact/citizen-science-project.
Vets Now launched the service at the start of the pandemic to provide remote veterinary advice, and it has now expanded from eight to nearly 30 emergency vets.
In 2022, Video Vets Now had over 13,000 consultations, with 80% of these occurring out-of-hours. Sundays are the busiest day, with almost a third of all consultations taking place.
Of these total consultations, 17% of pets were discharged normally, 7% were immediately referred in-clinic, and 48% were discharged as non-emergency cases, but with a recommendation to get a daytime vet appointment within 48 hours.
Dave Leicester, Vets Now’s head of telehealth says the fact that so few of Video Vets Now calls are referred on to a face-to-face consultation is a real benefit for pet owners and the veterinary profession: “Over two thirds of cases don’t need to be seen urgently by a vet.
"A lot of the cases are pet owners needing some clinical reassurance.
"As cases are triaged remotely, the service therefore frees up clinical staff for genuine emergencies.
“Additionally, without the service, many clients would have no other option than to attend for a full consultation at an out-of-hours clinic; so, clients save money too, allowing them to save their budget to spend at their daytime practices.
“Following the triage consultation, if the pet does need a non-urgent face-to-face consultation, we always direct clients to their registered vet. The £24 Video Vets Now consultation fee is then refunded.
"We call this our ‘Never Pay Twice’ promise, and it applies regardless of where that follow on consultation takes place.
"We see this as a win-win situation for clients and practices.”
Dave continued: “Over the past three years, Video Vets Now has seen unparalleled growth, providing essential care and reassurance for pet owners during a time of many challenges to traditional veterinary practice.
“As the pandemic has drawn to a close, we have consolidated our position as one of the UK's foremost providers of teletriage.
"Looking to the future, the changes in veterinary regulation will allow us to grow further and expand the range of services we can provide, bringing telehealth to an even greater number of pet owners.”
The session will be led by Adam Gregory, Head Nurse, who has experience gained around the world both as a veterinary nurse and a zookeeper.
Adam will take attendees through the basic triaging steps to assess and review treatment that may be needed, as well as covering a range of common presenting problems.
Great Western Exotics says it will be a great opportunity for first opinion vets and nurses to become more familiar with the needs of these birds to ensure they receive the best treatment possible in emergency situations.
To sign up to the talk, email Jess: GWEreferrals@vets-now.com.
https://www.gwexotics.com
The new machine is a modular system using low-flow anaesthesia for animals from 2-80kg.
The company says that compared to anaesthetic techniques which use high fresh gas flow rates, it functions without posing a risk to team members from the huge amounts of oxygen and inhalational anaesthetic agents that would otherwise be released.
In turn, this results in cost savings from unwasted agents, and a typical 5 to 10 times reduction in environmental damage.
Darvall founder, Dr Colin Dunlop, said: “For optimal outcome from anaesthesia, veterinary anaesthesiologists and veterinarians routinely make decisions about the physiological well-being of the patient, the environmental impact of their actions, the operational efficiency of their practice and cost-effectiveness.
"Having suitable equipment that uses low-flow anaesthesia will reduce the risk of hypothermia, improve team safety, reduce environmental emissions and reduce costs.”
“Low-flow anaesthesia not only reduces oxygen flows and inhalant agent consumption to less than 10% of high-flow, non-rebreathing systems, it can help reduce anaesthetic hypothermia because it uses warm gas when using the Darvall heated breathing circuits.
"Using our specifically designed modern system for veterinary patients addresses the traditional challenges associated with low-flow anaesthesia and hypothermia.
Darvall says the use of just one system will also simplify staff training and ensure familiarity.
https://darvallvet.com
Dr Power faced a number of charges relating to alleged clinical and communications failings surrounding surgery carried out on two separate dogs on two separate occasions.
The first concerned laryngeal tieback surgery carried out on Harvey, a Tibetan Terrier in March 2018, and the second concerned oesophageal surgery carried out on a boxer dog, Boss, in October 2018.
The College withdrew a number of the charges at the start of the hearing, and more later after hearing from witnesses.
Of the remainder, Dr Power admitted that she had not undertaken pre-operative radiographs before proceeding with the laryngeal surgery, had failed to perform the surgery appropriately (she dissected excessive tissue and had inappropriately placed sutures), and had undertaken the surgery when it was outside her area of competence.
In relation to the oesophageal surgery, Dr Power admitted failing to provide a referral report and/or clinical records to the veterinary practice he was referred from, despite requests from the practice.
The Committee found that the majority of the charges which had not been withdrawn or admitted by Dr Power, not proven.
However, the Committee found that in addition to the admitted charges, Dr Power had subjected the dog undergoing oesophageal surgery to an excessive 9.5 hours of anaesthesia.
The Committee then went on to consider whether the proven charges amounted to serious professional conduct.
Counsel for the College submitted that Dr Power’s conduct breached the part of the Code of Professional Conduct relating to veterinary surgeons keeping within their area of competence and referring responsibly; and providing veterinary care that is appropriate and adequate.
In terms of aggravating factors, the College submitted that there was both actual injury to the animal, as well as actions that posed a risk of injury, that Dr Power financially benefitted from the alleged misconduct as she was paid to perform a procedure outside her competence, and that she occupied a position of increased trust and responsibility as she advertised herself as a practitioner who accepted referrals and was competent to perform soft tissue surgery.
Dr Power’s counsel submitted that the charges that had been found proven amounted to clinical and administrative failings and that this was not a case of a veterinary surgeon deliberately or recklessly acting outside of their capabilities, but rather a case where a diligent and responsible veterinary surgeon had fallen short in discrete areas of her clinical practice and had reasonably believed at the time that she was competent to perform the surgery.
The Committee found that although the conduct within the proven charges fell short of what would be reasonably expected of a veterinary surgeon, it did not fall so far short that her conduct constituted serious professional misconduct.
Paul Morris, chairing the Disciplinary Committee and speaking on its behalf, said: “The Committee understood that it had a responsibility to consider the wider public interest, taking into account the view of a reasonable member of the public in possession of all the relevant facts and information.
“The Committee considered that such a member of the public would understand that veterinary surgery is a challenging profession. It was of the view that such a member of the public would not expect perfection, but understand that any professional practitioner may make mistakes in the course of their practice.
“It is the judgement of this Committee that the respondent’s conduct does not constitute disgraceful conduct in a professional respect.”
The full findings of the Disciplinary Committee can be found at www.rcvs.org.uk/disciplinary
Turning Over a New Leaf – How to Make Sustainable Change in the Veterinary Profession includes contributions from a range of organisations including the RCVS, Mars Veterinary Health and Investors in the Environment (iiE).
The report covers upcoming changes to the RCVS Practice Standards Scheme, the value of external accreditation to support sustainability, and how to approach behaviour change within your team.
Two further articles highlight how changes in clinical practice can combat antimicrobial resistance and reduce levels of surgical waste.
The report also features the personal experiences of practice sustainability leads, who discuss how they have worked with others to improve their sites.
Ellie West, Environmental Sustainability Lead at Linnaeus said: “Changing how we work day-to-day, when we are all so busy as a profession, can be a lot to juggle but sustainability brings a huge range of benefits.
"As well as helping the environment, it can promote the wellbeing of our patients and colleagues while also improving our performance as a business.
“It is important, however, to avoid dictating what sustainable change should be made because it will vary greatly between different teams and locations.
"This report shares ideas from contributors with a variety of roles and responsibilities, who have taken different approaches to supporting the environment but are all united in their commitment to delivering excellent clinical care.”
Sue Paterson, RCVS Junior Vice-President and RCVS Council lead for Environment & Sustainability, said: “Contributing to this report highlights the importance of working together as a profession to understand the environmental challenges we face and adopt solutions that will benefit our planet and the animals we care for.
"Upcoming changes to the RCVS Practice Standards Scheme will cover sustainability across a range of areas and we are committed to ensuring the veterinary profession can fully realise the benefits of this new guidance.”
April Sotomayor, Principal Consultant at iiE, added: “This report offers a range of perspectives that highlight how the veterinary profession can become a leader in sustainability and a shining example to other sectors.”
Download Turning Over a New Leaf – How to Make Sustainable Change in the Veterinary Profession here.
For locum nurses, the growth was even more pronounced, with daily rates up 38% to £199 and hourly rates up 18% to £23.50.
Student nurses lagged behind somewhat, with a growth of only 4% in median salary over the same period.
Salaries were predictably highest in London, Central and South East England, where the median was £31,074.
Meanwhile in the North of England, the median was £25,273.
SPVS says it is very grateful to everyone that took the time to fill in the survey, and it hopes the survey provides an up to date benchmark tool to be used in practice as part of responsible leadership for employers and as valuable information to employees.
Full survey results are available to SPVS members here: https://spvs.org.uk/spvs-survey/
The study1, which was conducted by surgery resident Dr Charlie Brincin at Highcroft Veterinary Group (soon to be Bristol Vet Specialists) and orthopaedic surgeon Dr Matt Matiasovic at Manchester Vet Specialists, looked at the records of 825 dogs that had been treated surgically for unilateral MPL at 10 referral centres, and then had a planned follow-up visit, including radiographs.
The frequency of, and reasons for, changes in further recovery recommendations were investigated.
The findings demonstrated that if the dog made an uneventful2 recovery after surgery, was presented without owner concern, and if no abnormality was found on physical examination, then radiographic findings only led to a change in recommendation in 3% (13/432) of these dogs.
Researchers say that this reflects similar research on the influence of follow-up radiographs in human medicine, and those of previous veterinary studies on post-operative radiographs, following uncomplicated tibial plateau leveling osteotomy (TPLO). These particular studies3,4 showed radiography had an impact on post-operative management in just 2%-3.8% of cases.
As a result of the MPL and TPLO studies, Highcroft Veterinary Referrals and Manchester Veterinary Specialists will no longer systematically perform follow-up radiographs on their patients, unless justified clinically.
Charlie said: “Radiographs are not without additional costs or risks - including radiation exposure, sedation-associated risks and strain on veterinary staff.
"Radiographic intervention should be clinically justified and our study suggests that if the dog had an uneventful recovery and is presented without owner or clinician raised concern, then repeat radiographs might not be necessary.
"This study also highlights the value of a thorough owner history and clinical examination for clinical decision-making when re-examining dogs following this orthopaedic surgery.”
The MPL study also evaluated factors which significantly increased the risk of finding radiographic abnormalities at routine follow-up, and those which led to a change in post-operative recommendation.
Lameness, administration of analgesia at follow-up, and history of unplanned visits prior to routine re-examination were associated with increased odds of a change in postoperative plan (P < 0.001).
In the absence of owner and clinician concerns, the odds of having a change in convalescence plans were not different, whether or not isolated radiographic abnormalities were present (P = 0.641).
References
The webinar will be presented by veterinary behaviourist, Sarah Heath BVSc PgCertVE DipECAWBM(BM) CCAB FHEA FRCVS, RCVS and EBVS European Specialist in Behavioural Medicine.
It will cover how to take a cat friendly approach to the microchipping appointment to reduce feline stress and make the process easier for both pet owners and veterinary staff.
A consent-based care approach will be discussed, together with the importance of educating cat owners and veterinary professionals on how to handle cats to minimise feline stress.
The webinar will also advise on the use of adjunctive therapies, such as pheromones and nutraceuticals, as well as the strategic use of pre vet visit medication, and will be followed by a Q&A session.
Tammie O’Leary, commercial lead at identi, said: “The introduction of the new cat microchipping legislation will lead to an increased number of feline patients being seen by veterinary practices.
"Our cat microchipping legislation webinar will help provide cat friendly advice for veterinary professionals and will include hints and tips to make cat microchipping appointments as stress free as possible.”
To register for the webinar, email contact@identichip.co.uk or call 0330 9128077.
For the study1, the authors Lucy Norris, Gina Pinchbeck, Peter-John Noble and Alan Radford, analysed data from electronic health records submitted by veterinary practices participating in the Small Animal Veterinary Surveillance Network (SAVSNET).
They found that a total of 132 dogs with cropped ears were seen by vets across a sample size of 500 practices between 2015 and 2022, with numbers peaking in 2021.
The breeds most likely to have cropped ears were the American bulldog, Dobermann, Italian mastiff and bulldog.
In more than 60% of the cases, the dogs had been imported from countries where ear cropping is illegal, such as Romania, Hungary, Bulgaria, Serbia, Spain, Poland and Ireland.
The authors acknowledge that the findings of their research are likely just a small snapshot of the true scale of the ear cropping problem: figures from the 2022 PDSA PAW Report suggest that the true numbers of dogs imported with cropped ears could be as high as 26,000.
RSPCA Head of Companion Animals Samantha Gaines said: "The study provides strong evidence to refute arguments for ear cropping to prevent ear infections, as the breed types identified in Norris and colleagues’ study are not generally predisposed to such infections.
"Rather, this finding adds weight to anecdotal evidence suggesting that the motivation for ear cropping in many dogs is driven by appearance rather than any perceived health benefits.
“It is also possible that some dogs were cropped illegally in the UK using legal importation as a smokescreen for this activity.
"Indeed, it is the RSPCA's experience that many dogs stated as being cropped outside of the UK have histories that would make this highly unlikely.”
Vet Record editor-in-chief Suzanne Jarvis said: “One solution to the importation problem is proposed in the Kept Animals Bill, which is currently stalled in parliament.
"Although there could be potential for fraud around grandfather rights initially, a ban on such importations would ultimately mean that the sight of a dog with cropped ears becomes a thing of the past in the UK.”
https://www.bva.co.uk/take-action/ear-cropping-campaign
Reference
The second of CVS’ UK nurse training centres (the first being in Chester), CVTC Dereham is situated near the site of CVS’ small animal The Grove Hospital and Veterinary Clinic in Norfolk.
CVS says the new centre will be Vetskill- and RCVS-approved and will specialise in training student nurses and patient care assistants and running a range of post-qualification diplomas and evening CPD events.
The centre will offer a day release classroom-based Level 3 Diploma in Veterinary Nursing, together with online courses including a Level 2 certificate in Veterinary Care Support and a Level 5 Diploma in Advanced Veterinary Nursing (Practice Nurse).
The first cohort of students are due to start at Dereham in May 2023.
Applications are also now open for a September 2023 cohort of student veterinary nurses and April 2023 for the Certificate in Veterinary Care Support online course.
Celine Organ, Centre Manager of CVTC Dereham said: “Our new Dereham centre will offer the highest quality courses, led by some of the industry’s most experienced tutors and with some of the best facilities in the sector.”
To apply for a places at CVS’ Dereham or Chester Veterinary Training Centres, visit www.chestervtc.co.uk or email nursingschool@cvsvets.com.
The 10 minute survey seeks to capture the current level of understanding and feelings around the deployment of AI tools across the veterinary industry.
VetCT says the purpose of the survey is to start some discussion and identify areas where training and support could help veterinary practitioners.
Julien Labruyère, Chief Innovation Officer at VetCT (pictured), said: “AI is here to stay and will increasingly become part of all aspects of veterinary medicine.
"Indeed, it’s vital to help us solve some of the workforce pressures the profession is facing globally.
"We will increasingly be using the outputs of AI tools to inform our clinical decisions, and yet the mechanisms and algorithms can be something of a black box of mystery.
“We want to understand the needs of clinicians in understanding how to apply AI safely, effectively and with confidence to support good clinical practice and ultimately, improve animal welfare.
"The results will be published and freely accessible.
"Our hope is to encourage a collaborative effort to support veterinary teams with embracing the full potential of AI, yet also providing the safeguards and education to the clinicians applying this technology to their patients.”
The survey is here: https://bit.ly/VetCT_AI_Survey.
Open to everyone in the profession, Congress '24 will include over 130 hours of CPD across 32 different modules covering topics such as advanced diabetes, dermatology, nursing clinics, EDI and more.
The programme format caters to a variety of learning styles, from lectures and panel discussions to interactive sessions and free CPD workshops.
There'll be over 120 exhibitors in three commercial exhibition, offering insights into some of the latest industry innovations, from pharmaceuticals to cutting-edge equipment.
Andy Green, Chair of the Congress Committee said: "We know it's a significant commitment for individuals to give up one to three days, plus travel time, to join us, and we don't just aim to educate; we want our attendees to enjoy the experience.
"Our aspiration is not just to meet their expectations but to exceed them.
"The veterinary profession faces challenges, but we have so much to celebrate, and what better place to come together with many like-minded individuals to remind yourself why you wanted to be in this profession in the first place."
Early bird registration is open until 31st January, and prices start at £93 +VAT for BSAVA members for a one-day pass.
www.bsavacongress.com
‘Feline enthusiasts assemble! How to help senior cats retain their superpowers' will be led by Geoff Duncan, veterinary technical advisor at Dechra, alongside panellists Natalie Dowgray, Head of ISFM, Sam Taylor, Head of Veterinary Specialists at ISFM (pictured), Vicky Halls, Head of Unowned Cats at ISFM and Marge Chandler, Clinical Nutritionist at Vets Now Referrals.
They will discuss the type of behavioural indications that a senior cat may present with, support for a stress-free visit and how practices can get the most out of these visits including the ‘how and why’ of BCS (body condition score), MCS (muscle condition score), the frailty scale and best practice nutritional guidance.
This hour-long session will be held twice: at 9.10am in Gallery Suite 22 on Thursday 16th November and 1.45pm in Gallery Room 17 on Friday 17th November.
‘Nordic voices on antibiotics in otitis externa; a call for responsibility’ will address the challenges associated with antibiotic usage in the management of otitis externa and discuss the importance of embracing the Nordic model to help significantly cut down on antibiotic usage in the UK.
It takes place at 10.10am on Friday 17th November in Gallery Room 17.
The CPD sessions are first come, first served.
The company is also offering Happy Hour cocktails on its stand from 4:00pm to 6:00pm on Thursday.
Creature Comforts will be using the cash both to open the clinics and build a proprietary app which will give owners seamless 24/7 access to veterinary care, whilst allowing vets to work more flexibly and more often from home.
VetSurgeon.org caught up with Russell Welsh (pictured), co-founder of the new business alongside Daniel Attia.
Russell said: "During the pandemic, there was a recognition that employers needed to do more to attract and retain veterinary staff, and so there has been a move towards more flexible working and better employment packages.
"The problem is that we then saw a massive increase in the number of pets, and the profession is struggling to meet demand.
"On top of that, the corporatisation of the profession has meant that both staff and owners often feel less connected with each other.
"We think the answer lies in independent practices making better use of technology to reduce the workload on veterinary staff whilst creating a better, seamless, more personal experience for pet owners.
"There are of course companies offering online consultations, but they tend to be stand alone services, or belong to corporate groups.
"What we're doing differently is developing our own system so that we don't lose control of any stage in the client journey and can make sure the quality of care, after care and service is consistently high.
"We'll also be putting together a share option scheme, so our employees will really feel a proper sense of ownership."
https://www.creaturecomforts.co.uk
Typically, diagnosis of endocrine disease is based on a thorough history and physical examination, followed by laboratory tests.
However clinical signs vary substantially across animals with endocrine disorders, so this new app uses AI and big data from millions of dogs in the RVC VetCompass database to improve the chances of an accurate diagnosis.
Dr Dan O’Neill, Associate Professor for Companion Animal Epidemiology at the RVC, said: "By applying the latest AI technology, the app is designed to assist primary care veterinary surgeons to better detect and diagnose Cushing’s Syndrome.
"The app provides a guide to the probability of Cushing’s syndrome as an explanation in patients showing both typical and atypical clinical signs for Cushing’s"
The app is free to download on both Apple and Android devices in the UK and EU countries by searching for 'the endocrinology app".
The HT Vista device measures heat transfer rate differences between masses and adjacent normal tissues and then processes that data using machine learning algorithms to classify the masses.
The study evaluated a diverse canine population of 299 dogs with 525 cutaneous and subcutaneous masses.
In the study, the device correctly classified 45 out of 53 malignant masses and 253 out of 378 benign masses (sensitivity = 85% and specificity = 67%).
The negative predictive value of the system (i.e., percent of benign masses identified as benign) was 97%.
This study concluded that the data supports the use of the HT Vista device "as a screening tool and decision support tool for the everyday diagnosis of dermal and subcutaneous masses in general practice, enabling clinicians to differentiate between benign lesions and those requiring additional diagnostics".
Liron Levy-Hirsch, Managing Director of HT Vista’s UK subsidiary said: “We are thrilled to have scientific research validating the success of the HT Vista device.
"The veterinary teams who have already adopted the device into their practice are having great success with it, and with the backing of this newly published paper we hope to reach more practices and ultimately save more dog’s lives.”
www.ht-vet.com / www.ht-vista.uk
The 1CPD homepage now displays two progress bars: one to track the number of CPD hours currently achieved and recorded, and another to show how many hours have been reflected on.
Once the number of required CPD hours has been recorded and reflected on, a message appears to tell the user that they're CPD compliant.
This change will not affect existing CPD records, and all previously inputted activities and reflections will remain in the system.
Jenny Soreskog-Turp, RCVS Lead for Postgraduate Education, said: “We hope that the changes to the 1CPD platform will allow people to track their CPD more easily.
"A key element in outcomes-focused CPD includes reflecting on what you have learned as this is known to have a positive impact on both personal professionalism and patient-health outcomes.
“It should be noted that any CPD you have already undertaken for this year but have not yet reflected on will still remain in the system.
"However, in order to be compliant for 2023, you must reflect on every CPD activity completed.
"If you have completed your hours but have not reflected, this will show as non-compliant.
"In order to make those hours count, you simply need to go back and add your reflections.
"This doesn’t have to be a long and onerous task – uploading audio notes, adding an attachment, or writing a few notes stating what you learnt and how you will use this newly acquired knowledge moving forward will all suffice.”
www.rcvs.org.uk/cpd